COAP:Privacy

Introduction

This page includes the program and the resources for the module on privacy

Day one

Let's see how you are tracked

Install the Lightbeam and Ghostery navigator extensions according to instructions

• Lightbeam is a Firefox extension that will tell you who is spying on you. When you start it, it will track and visualize all third party websites that interact with your page and your browser.

• Ghostery is a Firefox/Chrome browser plugin that “sees the invisible web - tags, web bugs, pixels and beacons. Ghostery tracks the trackers and gives you a roll-call of the ad networks, behavioral data providers, web publishers, and other companies interested in your activity.”

If you do have a Google account (Gmail), see what Google knows about you:

• Ads settings
• History of your search

Quizzes on privacy

Most people don't seem to informed about the situation. See for yourself:

Santa Clara University quiz

• Hoofnagle, Chris Jay, King, Jennifer, Li, Su and Turow, Joseph, "How Different are Young Adults from Older Adults when It Comes to Information Privacy Attitudes and Policies?" (April 14, 2010). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1589864 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1589864
• Santa Clara University (web page with the quiz)

Online Privacy Questions

1. If a website has a privacy policy, it means that the site cannot share information about you with other companies, unless you give the website your permission.

True / False

2. If a website has a privacy policy, it means that the site cannot give your address and purchase history to the government

True / False

3. If a website has a privacy policy, it means that the website must delete information it has about you, such as name and address, if you request them to do so.

True / False

4. If a website violates its privacy policy, it means that you have the right to sue the website for violating it.

True / False

5. If a company wants to follow your internet use across multiple sites on the internet, it must first obtain your permission.

True / False

Offline Privacy Questions

6. When you subscribe to a newspaper or magazine by mail or phone, the publisher is not allowed to sell your address and phone number to other companies without your permission.

True / False

7. When you order a pizza by phone for home delivery, the pizza company is not allowed to sell your address and phone number to other companies without your permission.

True / False

8. When you enter a sweepstakes contest, the sweepstakes company is not allowed to sell your address or phone number to other companies without your permission.

True / False

9. When you give your phone number to a store cashier, the store is not allowed to sell your address or phone number to other companies without your permission.

True / False

Other privacy quizzes

Each student should take one and write down 1-2 surprising things.

• Privacy 001. From the canadian government, to sensitize people about the use of social sharing and networking sites.
• ACLU privacy quiz
• Privacy IQ (from Awast)

Presentation of 1 or 2 cases

• Girls around me (Santa Clara Univ.)

Discussion

• Why does privacy matter ?

Regulations

• Privacy and data projection laws in Europe, Switzerland and the EU

Protection strategies

• What can a user do ?

Day two

Presentations / discussion

• Short presentations of readings

A common text

• Summary of issues
• Minimal ethical guidelines
• Advice for protection

Reading list

• Sources: ACM/IEEE and classes on compute ethics, e.g. Privacy online

1. Liberty in the age of technology (ACLU, 2014, 3 pages)